LONGVIEW, TX – Robert Brisco, 30, of Longview, Texas, is facing a lengthy federal prison sentence after a jury convicted him today of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and multiple counts of student financial aid fraud. Brisco and a network of associates systematically ripped off the Pell Grant Program and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, stealing funds intended for legitimate students.
The scheme, operating between June 2013 and September 2015, involved fraudulent applications and the exploitation of federal student aid systems. Brisco was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 19, 2017, facing a total of 20 charges: one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, four counts of mail fraud, and a staggering 16 counts of student financial aid fraud and aiding and abetting. The jury found him guilty on every single count.
The fallout from this case extends beyond Brisco. His mother, Gracie Brisco, 54, and sister, Shanitra Frost Brisco, 34, both of Longview, already pleaded guilty in July to student financial aid fraud, each staring down up to five years in federal prison. Six other individuals involved in the scheme have also confessed and await sentencing, revealing a widespread operation designed to siphon off taxpayer money.
Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston minced no words, stating, “Student financial aid fraud deprives deserving students of funds essential to their education.” He emphasized the commitment of federal agencies to prosecuting such crimes, while Neil Sanchez, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Southern Region, added that the investigation targeted those “who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayers.”
Brisco now faces a potential 20-year sentence for both the conspiracy charge and each count of mail fraud, along with an additional 5 years for each of the 16 student financial aid fraud charges. The actual sentence will be determined by the court, taking into account advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A presentence investigation is underway by the U.S. Probation Office. The collaborative effort involved the U.S. Secret Service, the Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Longview Police Department, and the Kilgore College Police Department.
“This case represents the successful collaboration…in investigating these complex financial crimes,” stated William Noonan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service. Thomas L. Noyes, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Fort Worth Division, echoed that sentiment, calling the conviction “a lesson to all who would want to defraud the government of vital education funds.” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and L. Frank Coan are prosecuting the case.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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